


Needed an Air Freshener

by SamCyberCat



Category: Free!
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-24
Updated: 2017-12-24
Packaged: 2019-02-19 13:47:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,494
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13124985
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SamCyberCat/pseuds/SamCyberCat
Summary: After Haru's most recent swimming campaign comes to a close, he visits Makoto in Tokyo. Makoto has mixed feelings about this.





	Needed an Air Freshener

**Author's Note:**

> My second fill for akiko-natsuko, as part of the Free! Christmas Exchange 2017. Akiko asked for either a SouHaru or a MakoHaru hurt/comfort fic, which are both good options. So I did both. This is the MakoHaru one. These two fics can work either together as part of the same story or entirely on their own. If you read them together, then I'd recommend reading this one second.

Haru was not Makoto's entire life and yet... here Haru was, on his doorstep, completely unannounced. And suddenly it was as if they'd been transported back in time to several years ago, when Haru could turn up at any time he liked and neither of them would think anything of it, because that was just part of their routine. It was part of their lives.

Yet they hadn't been transported back in time at all. Haru was not Makoto entire life. He... hadn't even been part of it at all for a while.

Which wasn't because they'd left each other on bad terms. They'd merely left each other because of life. Haru's future lay in the Olympics and Makoto's future was coaching. Their paths took them in two different directions. Haru had travelled the world, while Makoto had stayed in Tokyo. Because Makoto couldn't drop his career to follow Haru and he knew that Haru would never want him to do that.

Regardless, Haru was here. His presence made Makoto realise that he felt a whole herd of different emotions, as opposed to the simple feeling of gladness that he should have felt upon seeing Haru again after so long. As Haru sat in the living room, sipping tea as if he'd been there his whole life, Makoto regarded him from where he stood at the door.

“You and Rin both did well last month. You guys keep getting better and better,” Makoto said. He watched every race that he could, even if he had to record a few of them and play them back afterwards because of the different time zones of the countries they raced in.

Haru turned and regarded him for a few moments. He didn't speak at first, but when he did, he didn't say anything to do with Makoto's compliment.

“You could come join me,” he said.

Makoto didn't move. Haru's brow furrowed in confusion.

“Do you not... want to join me?” Haru asked.

Makoto smiled, but shook his head; “You know that I can't...”

“Suit yourself. But it's your living room,” said Haru.

“And you're not talking about the living room, are you?” Makoto replied, “You know I can't join you.”

Upon hearing that, Haru leaned back. Makoto wasn't sure what to expect at first, but what he wasn't prepared for was Haru starting to laugh. After all, laughter from Haru was rare enough, but this one sounded a lot lighter and more carefree than their current situation suggested that it should. Just hearing the noise made Makoto feel cautious, but also slightly... better?

“I was talking about the living room,” Haru admitted, once he was done laughing, “But I can see why you'd think otherwise. Being away has taught me to be less tense.”

Which implied that Haru thought Makoto was tense? Although maybe... it didn't imply anything of the sort. It was possible that Haru had mellowed considerably, while Makoto had let himself get wound up so tight. Which meant that, even if Haru hadn't been trying to imply that Makoto was tense, it was true that Makoto was.

Makoto sighed.

“All right, I'll join you,” he conceded. Then he walked across the living room to sit with Haru; “Life with Sousuke and Rin has changed you, hasn't it?”

“Like you wouldn't believe,” said Haru.

“I'm glad... I'm glad you're doing well,” Makoto replied.

“...Are you doing well?” Haru asked.

He was looking up at Makoto so curiously. At one point, the two of them had been able to read each other so effortlessly. But time and distance had seen to it that they'd become jaded.

“I think so,” said Makoto, “I'm doing what I always dreamed of and at the end of every year, when I see my classes graduate and go off to chase their futures, I know that it's worth it. Perhaps more people will end up on the same path as you and Rin someday because I helped them see their potential. That's a comforting thought.”

Haru put down his cup of tea and reached across to take Makoto's hand, squeezing it lightly. They were jaded, but they were not strangers.

“This is the right place for Makoto,” said Haru.

Makoto gave him a sad smile; “And out there is the right place for Haru. I know... We both know that.”

Yet it seemed that Haru wasn't finished.

“...Sometimes being with each other is the right place for both of us. The right place isn't always constant,” he said.

“Yeah, that sounds a lot like you,” Makoto replied. And then despite himself, he gave Haru a cheeky smile; “Was that what you said to the two of them when you got off the plane and headed here instead of back to Iwatobi?”

“Not in those words, but yes,” said Haru, “The three of us have been travelling together for so long. We're comfortable in each other's company now, but sometimes we all need a break. They've both gone to Sano to stay with Rin's mother and Gou for a while. Then I think they're heading on to see Kisumi.”

“They don't waste a moment, do they? When you have so many people you want to visit and you're not home for very long, I guess it teaches you to make the best use of your time,” Makoto said, “Now that you mention, I haven't been back to Iwatobi for a while myself. It'd be nice to see everyone again...”

“I would like to go to Iwatobi with you,” said Haru, “If you want, we could go together.”

There was no ulterior motive. Haru was as frank as ever. He wanted to go to Iwatobi with Makoto, so that was exactly what he said. And Makoto was touched that even after all this time, Haru would come to him first to ask such a thing. Haru wanted to be with Makoto right now.

Makoto... wanted to be with Haru as well.

“Well, the weekend's coming up, so I could see if I could get Friday afternoon off early for travel. That way it won't be too late when we get there. Hopefully we'll be able to arrange something with the others on such short notice,” Makoto said.

Now that he thought about it, they were being kind of rude to call everyone up out of the blue and expect them to be there. But just as he started to worry about this, Makoto felt Haru's hand on his own. He looked down at Haru, who was as sturdy and reassuring as always.

“They'll be there for us. They're already prepared for Rin and Sousuke coming back, so they'll have the time,” Haru assured, “You don't need to worry so much.”

Upon hearing that, Makoto let go of a breath that he didn't even know he'd been holding.

“You're right... I guess I do worry a lot these days,” he admitted, “You're the one who's mellowed and you're the Olympic champion. I guess being around Sousuke and Rin really has been good for you, huh?”

“Yes. And being around you is good for me as well,” said Haru, “I already know what you're thinking, Makoto, and I don't want you to be more like them any more than I want them to be like you. Or even them to be like each other. Everyone is fine the way they are.”

“Thanks for saying that... Even now, you know exactly what I need to hear,” Makoto replied, “Maybe it's something so simple, but it's easy to forget...”

“Then I'll keep reminding you,” assured Haru.

“As long as you're here.” Makoto hadn't intended for that to come out sharply, but there was an edge of sadness to it that couldn't be ignored; “I miss you when you're gone...”

Haru slumped heavily against Makoto. He didn't say anything for a long time. Neither of them did. In many ways, there was nothing to say. They couldn't change it. All they could do was accept the fact that this was them and sometimes they missed each other. After a moment, Makoto put his arm around Haru's shoulder and Haru curled up closer to the contact. It would be too easy to say that felt nice. It was more bittersweet. But for the moment, it was theirs.

“I can't keep you forever...” Haru said, even if Makoto felt like he should have been the one saying that.

“...But you can keep me for tonight,” Makoto finished.

He pulled Haru up onto his lap, holding him like he'd thought about so many times. No, holding him like he had already done so many times before and would do so many more times in future. They might not have forever, but they kept coming back to each other in between. They would always do that. As Haru wrapped his legs around Makoto's waist and Makoto bent down to kiss him, they both knew that for night, their lives were each other.


End file.
